Editor’s Note: If you want to fill your online course, but you don’t have an existing audience, then the approach we recommend is for you to get on the phone (or a face-to-face) conversation with people in your network. In the video and transcript below, Mirasee Evangelist Diane Holmes shares her tips for carrying out a sales call—without feeling like a pushy salesperson. Diane shares: How to begin the call (to disarm every person’s natural …

Ever been in a crowded place where a voice sounded familiar and you turned around to find it was someone you know? Among the cacophony and the rumble of hundreds of voices, your brain picked up on the one you recognized. Our brains are good at recognizing patterns and so it’s no surprise it keeps a record of voices it encounters repeatedly. But what about “voices” you come across through text or messages? It appears …

How would you like to get a mention in Entrepreneur magazine? Or land a guest spot on TechCrunch? Or maybe even get an endorsement from your favorite influencer? Beyond the traffic and backlinks, getting press gives a serious boost to your credibility and visibility. For authors and course creators, this can open up a lot of new doors. But how exactly do you “get press”? Do you have to be an influencer or have tons …

Running a business is a bold adventure. It’s like setting sail on the high seas. Like a ship, businesses have a lot of moving parts, need skilled labor to run well, and are always on the lookout for other pirates competitors. All Captains (founders, managers, etc.) desire to keep a tight ship, outrun or properly engage their foes, and keep their destination clearly ahead on the horizon. With a good set of core values and …

Who does content marketing? Nowadays, depending on how big your team is, content marketing can be a DIY task, outsourced to freelancers, passed on to an agency on retainer—or a little of each! All of those players are part of the content marketing ecosystem. The infographic below shows the results of surveys among those who carry out content marketing: agencies, employees, and freelancers. It reveals: the most popular types of content that agencies create for their …

Online user reviews, though consumers rely heavily on them in their buying decisions, are not nearly as valid as they seem. That’s according to a new study completed by Bart de Langhe and his team of researchers at the University of Colorado, Boulder. In addition to outright fakery, a lack of objectivity further skews consumer reviews. Consumers simply react to a single experience, rather than making a scientific comparison. In addition, there tends to be …

Phew. Finally, the monster guest post is done. You’ve crafted a magnetic headline, nailed the opening, slaved over each word, and polished the piece until it sparkles. Time to sit back and watch your business explode. But alas, the only bang you hear is the pop of your swelled balloon of expectations. To make matters worse, you spent a couple of hundred bucks on a blogging course that promised to crown you king of the …

So you’ve got a survey. But what’s the best way to get survey responses? Clicking the “send” button from your email provider isn’t enough. Tweeting about it isn’t enough. Even begging every relative, friend, and acquaintance isn’t enough. Getting survey respondents requires the same amount of effort as other marketing campaigns. This post will show you how to master the techniques that empower surveys to become more likable. Make sure to read all the guidelines, …

Standing out online is a challenge. Competition is fierce. Thousands of others already cover the topics you want to cover. That said, it IS possible to cut through the noise and get noticed… but NOT while doing the same things everyone else is doing. You have to do something different. Something that demands attention. That’s when people take notice. Here are 6 ways to differentiate your brand, cut through the noise, and stand out in …

Everyone wants success, but we can’t get a consensus on what success is. You’ve probably found yourself talking about success at one time or another and then found yourself unable to articulate even for yourself what it might mean. You might have considered success while in your office, or at home, or in the shower or at the gym. You’ve likely talked success through with your spouse or partner, family or friends. (You might have …